Resurrected Living"What are you going to do with your new resurrected life? This is the heroic question." Richard Rohr

Overcoming Loneliness

“Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone.'” (Genesis 2:18)

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9)

According to researchers and medical professionals, we are in the middle of a loneliness epidemic. People of all ages and backgrounds are experiencing loneliness at higher rates than before. This stems from people being less involved in groups and clubs, as well as a decline in church participation. Families no longer invite people into their homes and entertain as they once did. As the average size of homes has grown, families are spending less time eating together, conversing, and spending time with one another.

What can the church do to address this crisis? First, we must embrace the fact that we are a counter-cultural movement. We are called to live in the world, but not to be of the world (John 17:15-16). There are patterns in society that are causing the loneliness problem in our country. We must resist these patterns. This will not be easy. What might this look like? Here are a few suggestions.

* Eat together as a family.
* Place limits on technology use.
* Invite people over to your home.
* Prioritize attendance at worship, Bible class, and other church activities.
* Arrive at worship early and don’t rush home after the closing prayer.
* Get to know your neighbor.
* Be purposeful about developing and fostering friendships.
* Mentor a young person.
* Participate in service projects with your church.